Roller press



March 14, 1944.

' M. .J. STACOM I 2,344,274

ROLLER PRESS Filed Aug. 3, 1940 2- Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTO MATHEW .I5TAc0M I ATTORNEY MATHEW I 5 TA COM BY ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 14, 1944UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROLLER PRESS I Matthew J. Stacom, Flushing,N. Y. Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 351,005

14 Claims.

This invention relates to roller presses and 'more particularly to animprovement in roller presses whereby better feed acceptance andtreatment of the material under high pressures may be obtained.

In the use of roller presses in which the external surface of tworollers or other cylindrical surfaces contact each other, the pressurethat may be applied in the use of the press for treating substances islimited due to the component of the pressure that is effective inopposition to advancement into the pressure zone of the material beingtreated. when that component becomes greater than the frictional forcetending to draw the material into the press, the material will slip andso will not be drawn into the pressure zone.

-It is an object of this invention to provide an improved arrangementwhereby greater feed acceptance may be obtained in roller presses. It isa. further object to provide an improved press wherein the length andposition of the pressure zone may be varied in relation to the line ordirection of application of pressure. Other ob jects and advantages ofthe invention will become apparent.

In describing the invention, reference will be made to the drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of the press with certain portionsshown in section and Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of an end elevation of the rings androllers illustrating their positions iipon introduction of material intothe press, and including rollers for resisting such movement.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic end elevation illustrating a modified form ofthe invention.

In referring to the drawings, the numeral i indicates a press rollercarried on and rotatable with a shaft 2 in fixed bearings in thesupports 3, 3. The upper press roller 4 is rotatable with and carried ona shaft 5, which is supported in bearings that are movable in thesupports 3, 3. The shaft 5 may be moved toward and from the shaft 2 bymeans of the ram pistons 6, B in the ram cylinders I, l. Piston packing8 may be provided around the ram pistons 6, 6. The cylinders I, i may beconnected through the pipes 9, 9 to a source of resilient force, such asthe accumulater of a hydraulic-pneumatic system, as described in mycopending applications Serial Nos. 195,776 filed March 14, 1938, and253,202, filed January 27, 1939, the latter of which has issued asPatent No. 2,229,143, dated January 21, 1941, whereby the movement ofthe roller 4 away from the roller 7 I may be resisted by a great butyielding pressure. Other means may be provided for applying thisresilient force.

Between the rollers l and 4, and each surrounding one of said rollers,are provided the presser rings l0 and H which may be made of steel orother suitable material, depending upon the use to which the mill is tobe put. These rings l0 and II are forced against'each other by thepressure appliedto the roller 4, but are not rigidly retained againstmovement of their axes relative to the line of pressure between the tworollers. The rollers l and 4 are provided with flanges la and 4a, whichserve to guide the rings 10 and II.

In the apparatus indicated, the rollers I and 4 are driven by the motorH which may be connected through a flexible coupling I3 to the shaft l4carrying the spur pinion I5. This pinion I5 drives a spur gear i6 fixedto the shaft I1. The shaft I! may be an extension of or rigidlyconnected to the shaft 2 but is preferably connected to it by a wobbleror flexible coupling as indicated at 2i. This wobbler coupling includesa shaft with squared ends and sleeves with squared apertures adapted toloosely receive the squared ends of the said shaft and the squared endsof the shafts 2 or ii. Removable pins keep the collars from slidingalong the shafts.

A spur gear l8, carried by the shaft 11, contacts with and drives thespur gear l9 fixed to the shaft 20. The shaft 20 is connected to theshaft 5 through a wobbler coupling 2|, whereby the movement of the shaft5 toward and from the shaft 2 may be accommodated. The ratio of theeffective diameters of the gears l5 and IS in the apparatus illustratedis such as to give a 4 to 1 reduction in the speed of rotation of theshaft I! as compared with the shaft M. The gears i8 and I9 are of thesame diameter so that these shafts will rotate at the same speed but inopposite directions. Obviously other types of gears and other speedratios between the shafts i4 and I! may be used and if the rollers l and4 are of different diameters different speed ratios between the shafts 2and 5 will be required to give the same peripheral speeds to the rollersat their lines of contact with the rings,

The rings l0 and l I may be driven in a suitable manner such as by thefrictional contact of the rollers I and 4 with the rings.

In the operation of the apparatus, the motor i2 may be rotated so thatthe lower roller and ring will be driven in a clockwise direction andthe upper roller-and ring in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed inFigure 2. As the material enters the curvilinear angle between the ringsIn and II, it will exert pressure upon the two rings, which are ofsufliclently rigid material and construction to pry the roller 4 awayfrom the roller I, as illustrated'by the full line 4' in Figure 3. Atthe same time the rings I and II will roll along their contacting outersurfaces and the surfaces of the rollers I and 4 to move their line ofcontact with each other to a position beyond the 'line'of pressurebetween the rollers I and 4. Thus they will assume a position asindicated by the full lines III and II (Figure 3). This prying apart ofthe rollers takes advantage of the lever arms formed by the portions ofthe rings between the lines of contact of the material with the ringsIll and II and the lines of contact of the rings with the rollers, thuspermitting a separation of the rollers by application of less pressurethan that actually exerted by the roller 4. This change in position ofthe axes of the rings In and I I and the movement of the apex of thepressure angle to beyond the line of pressure will result in a widerblanket of material being treated at the point of direct lineapplication of the pressure by the roller 4 than at the apex of thecurvilinear angle positioned beyond this line and will permit aresilient gripping action of the surfaces of the rings and give aflexibility of the bite of the rolls, which will assist in drawing thematerial into the high pressure zone. Also, it will alter the positionof the pressure zone in relation to the line of pressure from the roller4 so that the pressure is applied in advance of the converging apex.

If desired, the yielding of either or both rings I0 and I I may beresisted by one or more rollers, as indicated at 22 and 23 in Figure 3.These rollers may be normally positioned on and resiliently pressedagainst the outer surfaces of the io,

rings I0 and II by means of pistons in the cylinder 24, 25 connectedwith a hydraulic-pneumatic resilient pressure system similar to thatreferred to above. A plurality of rollers may be used as illustrated inthe aforesaid Patent No. 2,229,143.

Other means, of course, may be used for applying this resilientpressure. The amount of this resilient pressure may be controlled topermit the desired movement of the rings. With this arrangement themagnitude of the flexible or resilient gripping action may be adjustedfor dif-', ferent materials, if desired, by varying the re sistance tomovement of the rings. 01', if preferred, the rollers 22 and 23 may beinitially spaced from the rings I0 and I I so as not to resist theinitial movement of the rings, but to limit and control the extent ofmovement. Also, the rollers may be actuated to advance them so as toreturn the rings I0 and II to their original position during thecontinued operation of the press.

The apparatus described herein may be used to advantage where long flatpieces of material are to be fed into the roller mill, such for exampleas in the dehydration of pulp sheets, in

many other uses, and will permit better feed acceptance in such uses.

It is obvious that means for feeding, the material to the apparatus andfor removing it may be provided and that various types of scrapers, feedmeans, conveyors, etc., some of which are shown in my application SerialNo. 253,202, with proper revision to feed and remove the material fromthe outer surfaces of the rings, may be used. It is also apparent thatmany modifications may be made in utilizing the above invention.Different means also may be used for driving the rollers and, ifdesired, only one of the rollers may be driven and the other movingparts may be driven frictionally or by positive means from it.

Also, instead of having two rings between the rollers, a single ring maybe provided and will serve to pry the rollers apart and thus obtainbetter acceptance of the material. Figure 4 illustrates such a device inwhich the roller 26 is carried on a fixed axis and the roller 2'! ispressed toward it with great but yielding force. Between the rollers 26and 21 and surrounding the roller 21, there is positioned the ring 28.With this arrangement it is preferred to have the roller 26 of about thesame outside diameter as that of the ring 28. In operating this device,the material entering as indicated by the arrow will contact withtheroller 26 and the outer surface of the ring 28 and serve to pry theroller 21 from the roller 26. If the rollers 26 and 2'! are both driven,it is desirable to have the relative angular speeds of these rollerssuch that their peripheral speeds will be the same as the peripheralspeeds of the inner and outer surfaces of the ring 28.

If desired, means similar to the roller 23, or other suitable means, maybe provided for resisting displacement of the ring 28 from its normalposition whereby the displacement may be regulated as hereinbeforedescribed.

Also, if desired, the means resisting movement of the axes of the ringsin the embodiments illustrated, may be positioned within and in contactwith the inner surface of the rings rather than with the outer surfaceas illustrated.

Althougl'i the apparatus has been illustrated with the rollers one abovethe other, they may also be used with the rollers in other positions,such, for example, in a horizontal position or at some other angle andmay be rotated so that the feed will be from either side of theapparatus.

Cooling or heating means may be provided for maintaining a propertemperature of the rings or rollers. For example, the rollers may bepositioned with their axes in a horizontal line and the rings may dipinto a cooling or heating fluid. Obviously other means may be providedfor cooling or heating the rings or rollers.

Many other variations in the design of the apparatus may be made inutilizing the invention and it is not intended to limit it to theparticular embodiments shown and described. The terms used in describingthe invention have been used in their descriptive sense and not as termsof limitation and it is intended that all equivalents thereof beincluded within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A roller press comprising a ring, a roller positioned within saidring, a cylindrical surface normally contacting the outer surface of thering along a line opposite the line of contact of the inner -roller andin the common plane passing through the axes of the ring, roller andcylin drical surface, said cylindrical surface being of substantiallythe diameter of the outer surface of the ring, and one of said rollerand cylindrical surface being resiliently mounted and the other beingmounted on a relatively fixed axis, and

means for forcing said roller and cylindrical surface toward each otherwith great but yielding force, said ring being sufflciently rigid andfree from rigid resistance to movement such as would displace its axisthat upon introduction of material into the curvilinear angle between itand the cylindrical surface its axis will move to pry the roller andcylindrical surface apart against the resistance of said yielding force,and to advance the apex of the curvilinear angle, relative to the lineof applied pressure, in the direction of travel of material through theroller press.

2. A roller press as defined in claim 1 including resilient meansbearing against a surface of the ring for resisting movement of the axisof said ring.

3. A roller press as defined in claim 1 in which the axis of the outercylindrical surface is fixed and that of the inner roller is parallel toand movable laterally toward and from the said fixed axis.

4. A roller press comprising a ring, a rolle positioned within saidring, a cylindrical surface normally contacting the outer surface of thering along a lineopposite the line of contact of the inner rollerand inthe common plane passing through the axes of the ring, roller andcylindrical surface, one of said roller and cylindrical surface beingresiliently mounted and the other being mounted on a relatively fixedaxis, and means for forcing said roller and cylindrical surface towardeach other with great but yielding force, said ring being sufficientlyrigid and free from rigid resistance to movement such as would displaceits axis that upon introduction of material into the curvilinear anglebetween it and the cylindrical surface the ring will serve to pry apartthe roller and cylindrical surface against the resistance of saidyielding force.

5. A roller press as defined in claim 4 including resilient meansbearing against a surface of the ring for resisting movement of theaxis-of said ring.

6. A roller press as defined in claim 4 in which the axis of the outercylindrical surface is fixed and that of the inner roller is parallel toand movable laterally toward and from said fixed axis.

7. A roller mill including a pair of rollers having their axes parallelto each other, one of which is resiliently mounted and the other ofwhich is mounted in relatively fixed bearings, a ring surrounding eachof said rollers and means for resiliently forcing said rollers towardeach other to maintain the outer surfaces of said rings normally incontact in the common plane of the axes of the rings and rollers withgreat but yielding force, said rings being suflic'iently rigid and atleast one of them free from rigid resistance to movement such as woulddisplace its axis that upon introduction of material into thecurvilinear angle between said rings the rings will serve to pry apartthe said rollers against the resistance of said yielding force.

8. A roller mill as defined in claim 7 including resilient means,bearing against a surface of the ring free from rigid resistance tomovement of its axis, to resiliently resist movement of said ring andits axis.

9. A roller mill including a roller rotating on a fixed axis, a rollerrotating on an axis parallel to said fixed axis and movable toward andfrom it, a ring surrounding each of said rollers, and means for forcingsaid movable axis toward said fixed axis with great but yieldable forceto hold the outer surfaces of said rings initially in contact, saidrings being sufficiently rigid and free from rigid resistance tomovement such as would move their axes that upon introduction ofmaterial into the curvilinear angle between the outer surfaces of saidrings th rings will serve to pry apart said rollers against theresistance of said yielding force.

10. A roller mill as defined in claim 9 in which resilient means isprovided to resist the movement of the rings to displace their axes.

- 11. A roller mill as defined in claim 9 in which at least one of therollers is positively driven and the rings are driven therefrom byfriction.

12. A roller mill as defined in claim 9 in which the resilient force isapplied by a hydraulicpneumatic system.

13. A roller mill comprising a roller rotatable upon a shaft in fixedbearings, a second roller rotatable upon a shaft movable toward and fromthe shaft of said first roller, a ring surrounding said second roller,and means for forcing said rollers toward each other with great butresilient pressure, said ring being sufficiently rigid 'and free fromrigid resistance to movement such as would displace its axis, that uponintroduction of material into the curvilinear angle between the ring andouter roller the ring will serve to pry apart the rollers against theresistance of said yielding force.

14. A roller mill comprising a roller rotatable upon a shaft in fixedbearings, a roller of smaller diameter rotatable upon a shaft inbearings movable toward and from said fixed shaft, a ring surroundingsaid smaller roller and having an outside diameter about equal to thatof the larger roller, means for forcing said smaller roller toward saidlarger roller with great but resilient force to hold said ring initiallyin contact with said outer roller, said ring being sufficiently rigidand free from rigid resistance to movement such as to displace its axisthat upon introduction of material into the curvilinear angle betweensaid ring and outer roller the ring will serve to pry apart the saidrollers against the resistance of said yielding force.

MATTHEW J; STACOM.

